Legislators to consider Capitol cable coverage
10:43 PM 9/30/03
Tom Sheehan State government reporter

Wisconsin's version of a C-Span-type service won't cost taxpayers a dime if Jeff Roberts has his way. <

The president of the nonprofit corporation WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network hopes to launch a cable television-based public affairs network that would be privately financed and operated - the first of its kind in the nation. <

The idea, proposed by Roberts four years ago, has strong appeal with state officials fighting budget constraints. But the uniqueness of WisconsinEye's proposal has raised legal concerns about access to programming and slowed the final stages of approval. <

Legislators on two committees are scheduled to meet in closed session today to finalize wording for a legal advertisement that would lay out parameters for the service and invite other possible providers to show interest. Approval of the ad would mark the first formal legislative action on a proposal that appeared headed for quick approval. <

WisconsinEye, which wants to mount about 50 cameras in the Capitol to offer unedited coverage of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, remains the only group that has publicly shown interest in providing the service. But Roberts said he wants a contract with the state before continuing with construction of office space at 1 E. Main St.. He'll have to wait until at least Nov. 7, the proposed deadline for options to be submitted. <

Although WisconsinEye would not be subsidized by taxpayers, Roberts needs permission from the Doyle administration and the State Executive Residence Board to mount cameras in the Capitol. Roberts also will have to work out rules for coverage of each branch of government, said Tad Ottman, a policy adviser to Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer, R-West Bend. <

The idea for WisconsinEye quickly gained momentum with former Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus and Tom Loftus, a former Assembly speaker and former U.S. ambassador to Norway, joining its board of directors. <

Roberts, a former state government reporter and radio news service operator, said he has raised more than $3 million but wouldn't be more specific. He also has backing and technical support from the state's two largest cable television companies, Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable. Roberts wants to raise $10 million, which would buy hardware, launch the network and cover the first two years of operation, he said. Starting in the third year, the service would be supported through a fee of less than 10 cents per customer per month on bills of those cable companies, Roberts said. <

Progress on the project has slowed more recently as legislators try to sort out political, legal and technical questions, said Rep. Marlin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids. Schneider serves on the Assembly Committee on Transportation and Information Infrastructure, which is working on the ad with attorneys from Gov. Jim Doyle's administration and members of the Senate Committee on Electronic Democracy and Government reform. <

If WisconsinEye's model is approved, it could be vulnerable to a challenge under federal antitrust laws, concluded Mary Offerdahl, a lawyer for the Wisconsin Legislative Council. <

Under WisconsinEye's plan, a live feed would be available to about half of state residents through the two cable companies, and "bona fide" news outlets could use some footage without charge, Offerdahl wrote. <

WisconsinEye has not yet formally submitted its proposal to the state, but the company would let competing cable companies carry the signal if they pay fees equal to what Charter and Time Warner will pass along to customers, Roberts said. With permission, news organizations also could carry full coverage of hearings. <

WisconsinEye's signal would not be subject to Wisconsin's Open Records Law because it would be captured and copyrighted by a private company, Roberts said.